Other forms: writs
A writ is a formal written order from a court. It commands somebody to do something, or not to.
It is the oldest kind of legal document in English law, and different writs once started different kinds of case. Modern use is narrower but the word survives in phrases like issuing a writ, serving a writ and, in politics, moving the writ for a by-election. There is a separate old participle, since writ large means displayed in a bigger and more obvious form.
1nounwritA formal written command issued by a court.
“They issued a writ against the newspaper.”
A writ is simply a writing. Old English writ meant anything written down, from a root meaning to scratch or to carve, because writing was cutting long before it was ink.
Proto-Indo-European
*wrey-
Proto-Germanic
*writą — fissure, writing
Old English
writ
Middle English
writ
English, today
writ
Built from
From Middle English writ, from Old English writ and ġewrit (“writing”), from Proto-Germanic writą (“fissure, writing”), from Proto-Indo-European wrey-, wrī- (“to scratch, carve, ingrave”). Cognate with Scots writ (“writ, writing, handwriting”), Icelandic rit (“writing, writ, literary work, publication”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA